Decolonisation in Africa and Asia

• Decolonisation in Asia 1947 - 67

  • Malay peninsula
  • Burma
  • Singapore
• Burma - Nationalist activity

  • Violent activities of the nationalists and ascendancy of the AFPEL. Led by Aung San/
  • Different factions within the AFPEL could not agree on Burma's future path. July 1947 Aung San and six of his cabinet ministers assassinated by a rival political faction
• Burma - British policy/response

  • Attlee had orginally planned a programme of measured and slow steps to independence
  • Talks between Aung San and Attlee in government in London in Jan 1947
  • Agreed that elections for a consistent assembly take place in April 1948
  • Produced huge AFPEL
• Burma - Result/Independence

  • Independence for Burma in Jan 1948
  • Burmese completely turned their backs on Britain. Rejected the idea of joining British commonwealth
• Singapore = Left - wing political activity

  • 1947 and 1948 given its own government. Executive and legislative council. Six of the 25 seats on the legislative council. British subjects 10% of population had the vote
  • First elected council had been dominated by the Singapore progressive party (SPP). Conservative group favouring businessman
• Singapore = Left - Wing political activity

  • SPP won three seats and several new left - wing parties emerged including Labour front (ten seats). Sought discussion with Britain about self - rule
  • First leader. David Marshall unsuccessful. Successor in 1956. Lim Yew Hock Britain impressed with strong action against communists
• Singapore = Left - wing political activity

  • Persuaded Britain in 1957 implement self government in Singapore. Island would remain with empire. State of Singapore Act 1958
• Singapore - British policy/response

  • Government on Singapore struggled to contain communist insurgency. Win loyalty of the population by enlarging the legislative council 1 to 32 seats. 25 of these chosen by electorate of 300,000 in 1953
  • British decided in 1963 that Singapore's future would be best assured as part of the federation of Malaya. Because 'Malyasia' that year scheme proved unworkable. Race riots between Chinese and Malays led to breakdown in public order
• Singapore - British policy/Response

  • 1947 own legislative council
• Singapore - Result/Independence

  • August 1965 Singapore was expelled from Malayasia and became a fully independent state in its own right
  • Self - gov state of Singapore Act 1958
• MCP - Chin Peng and 1930
• MCA - Tan Chenk lock and 1949
• UMNO - Om bin jafar and 1946
• UMNO - The M stand Malay Peninsula
• Malay Peninsula - Ethnic tensions and nationalism

  • Peninsula suffered from ethnic tensions between the Malay people's and the Chinese and Indian population
  • United Malays National organisation (UMNO) created in March 1946. Argue for the rights of the Malay people
• Malay peninsula - Ethnic tensions and Nationalism

  • Chinese represented by the Malay Chinese association (MCA) or the Malayan communist party (MCP). Represented in labour unions and involved in series of strikes between 1945 and 1948
  • 1947 ethnic tensions were very high Malays and Chinese united against British rule and together won 81% of votes in federal election in 1955
• Malay Peninsula - British policy

  • British colonial administration had to abandon its original plan to create a 'Malay union'. Ensured Malay citizenship for all ethnic groups while keeping Singapore as a seperate Crown colony
  • June 1947, British produced a new scheme offered a much more restricted defintion of Malay citizenship
• Malay Peninsula - British policy

  • Creating the Federation of Malaya, were enacted in Jan 1948 and established: 'Federation of Malaya'. Seven officials and seven unofficial members. Headed by British high commissioner. Held real power.
  • 'Federation of Malaya legislative council. 62 members represents various states and other groups. Elected body in 1955. Gov in Malay financial powers of the central colonial administration were devolved
• Malay Peninsula - British policy

  • State of emergency in June 1948. Empowered colonial authorities to use military force and legal powers to arrest suspects
  • British high commissioner assassinated. Sir Henry Gurney. Reid commission led by Lord William Red drew up new democratic constituition 1957
• Malay Peninsula - Results/Independence

  • 1963 Malaya united with Singapore. Saban (North Borneo) Sarawak to form Malaysia.
  • Two years later 1965 Singapore expelled from the federation
  • 1957 independent Malaya was created
• Decolonisation in Africa 1947 - 67

  • East Africa
  • South Africa
  • Central Africa and Rhodesia
  • Gold Coast
  • Nigeria
• East Africa - Rising Nationalism activity

  • Mau Mau uprising 1952 - 1956. White people sought to mechanise farming. Kikuyu to resort to violence
  • Independence more violent due to rapid economic growth brought nationalism. Labour disputes
• East Africa - British policy

  • Tanganyika groundnut scheme (£49 mil) 1946. Failure of this scheme provoked East African peasants into supporting the nationalist movements
  • 1946 Britain and countries experienced shortage of cooking fats. Growing Tanganyika large quantities of groundnuts (peasants). Cooking oil sold to world economy. Tractors, equipment and railway.
• East Africa - British policy

  • Kikuyu people divided by British 'loyalists' colonial appointed chiefs and followers supported colonial gov lavish priveileges
• East Africa - Results/Independence

  • Tanganyika was granted independence as Tanzania in 1961.
  • Uganda in 1962 and Kenya in Dec 1963
• South Africa - Internal tensions

  • White minority enjoyed full control over South Africa's internal affairs since 1931
  • Dominion status by statute of Westminister
  • 1948 Afrikaner nationalist party won power policy of apartheid segregating races in all walks of life
• South Africa - British policy

  • Relations with Britain grew sustained. South Africa had pressed 1948 unsuccessfully. Britain had to hand over its remaining colonies in the region.
  • (Bechaualand, basutoland and Swaziland) Britain refused and in 1961 the South African white population voted to become a republic and leave the commonwealth
• South Africa - Results/Independence

  • Relationship with Britain restrained and wanted to leave the commonwealth in 1961
• Central Africa and Rhodesia - Internal tensions

  • Northern Rhodesia - Mineral rich (copper) province. Southern Rhodesia - agriculturally rich territory white population.
  • Nyasaland - economically undeveloped territory
  • Central African federation (CAF) three territories created 1953
• Central Africa and Rhodesia - British policy

  • Discriminatory legislation against Africans could be voted by Britain. Limited provision for African representation .
  • Powerful African nationalist movement. Led by African and suspicious of Britain's intention
  • White governs of CAF responded fiercely. Nationalist leaders imprisoned and arrested
• Central Africa and Rhodesia - Results/Independence

  • 1965 prime minister of Rhodesia, Ian Smith illegally declared Southern Rhodesia to be independent
  • 1969 Rhodesia became a republic
• Nigeria - Rising Nationalism

  • Regionally divided
  • Greater pressure for change from nationalist movements forced the British to amend the constituition
• Nigeria - British policy/response

  • 1946, 'Rhichard's constituition'. Greater African representation. Govenor general having ultimate power
  • British took view that if Nigeria wanted independence they should take it in a form of a federation of seperate regional states
• Nigeria - British policy/Response

  • Expanded legislative council to discuss issues affecting the whole country. Three assemblies for the major regions (West, East and South)
  • Macpherson constituition 1951 extended right to vote and created National council of Ministers. 185 seats federal house of representatives
• Nigeria - British policy/Response

  • Political parties were being established from different ethnic groups. Granting more concessions. Federal elections in 1954
  • Nine ministers drawn from ethnic political parties. Strike a balance at national level between different regions
• Nigeria - Result/Independence

  • Got independence in October 1960
  • Tensions manifested themselves in Sierra Leone and Gambia in 1950s
• West Africa - Rising Nationalism

  • 1947 Andrew Cohen (Head of Africa department) independence would be feasible for at least a generation
• West Africa - British policy/response

  • 1946 Burns constituition drawn up in Gold Coast. Established a legislative council of 12 British nominees
  • Power remained to the British govenor. Protests against British gathered momentum
  • Legislative council enlarged and renamed legislative assembly. Number of people who could vote increased. British govenor had power
• West Africa - Results/Independence

  • Gained independence on 6th March, 1957 as Ghana
• Gold Coast - Rising Nationalism

  • Conventional people's party (CCP). Founded in 1949 by Kwame Nkrumah. Pressurised British to make further concessions
  • Nkrumah gaoled (barrier or enclosure) in 1950. CCP won two thirds of the seats in the legislative assembly